Glass Dragon

Chapter 12

She catches my shoulder in her teeth and I scream in pain as she pulls me up the mountain. The river running down starts to seem like a raging waterfall. She brings me into a cave and licks the blood from her bite after she lets me go. I get up and stand at the edge of the rock, watching in horror as the dam breaks and washes over the town that is already starting to flood. I fall to my knees as my stomach twists and turns in odd knots. Mom, Michael, Aya, Maria, Kaden, Skylar, everyone is down there. I scream as the feeling like someone ripping out my heart and making me watch as they cut it to ribbons washes over me. I run to jump off the edge and save them but the fox catches my shirt to keep me from getting away. "No" I scream and cry as I try to rip away from her. Days pass and I can't sleep. She brings me deer and squirrels but I can't eat anything. I wanted to die, I wanted to die with her. It felt like the end but somehow I knew it was only the beginning. I was stuck crying every day so much that I ran out of tears and felt like I would never cry again but would be back at it the next day. I almost didn't notice when she'd spoke. "You must eat" she says softly "you'll die." My eyes widen with tears as I look at the fox "you can talk" I ask "why do you sound like Aya?" She doesn't answer but takes the meal and nods for me to follow her. I stand up and she walks deeper into the cave. Soon I see watery light dancing across the rock above and then a lake. There's an opening above us sending moonlight down to the water making it look bioluminescent. The scene is so beautiful that I can't help wishing that she could see it and end up feeling depressed that she can't. She laps up some of the water and looks at me to do the same. I look at the lake then shake my head and back away. She dives into the water with her ears flattened to her skull and they elongate as the fur on the rest of her retracts. She stands up on the bottom of the lake and smiles at me with her mouth full of water. Aya? I thought you were dead. She walks out from the water and a white, flowy dress forms on her. Burning ashes flutter from underneath her feet as they hit the stone like she's walking on hot coals but when she nears me, the only heat is from her skin. She leans forward and presses her lips to mine. I drink the water until it's gone and she backs away to hold my face "mon petite chevalier courageux" she whispers sweetly "je t'aime." She says every word like she's certain they will be her last and it brings tears to my eyes. My little knight courageous, I love you. The sadness turns to pain as I feel like all my bones are breaking and a growth spurt that would take years in seconds and I pass out. She slowly backs away "stay alive, mon amour" she whispers as she sinks into the lake and blows me a kiss underwater then disappears.